Interim chair appointed to take charge of NHS Lothian

Esther Roberton has served on many public bodies

AN interim chair has been appointed to take the helm at NHS Lothian following the resignation of Brian Houston over "fundamental and irreconcilable differences" with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.

Esther Roberton, a former chair of NHS 24 and NHS Fife, is expected to be in charge of the troubled health board until the end of November when a permanent chair should be in place.

Mr Houston quit two weeks ago after coming under pressure over NHS Lothian being placed in "special measures" by the Scottish Government following the delay in opening the new Sick Kids Hospital.

He resignation came just days after NHS Lothian chief executive Tim Davison had announced his intention to retire in August.

Ms Roberton was co-ordinator for the Scottish Constitutional Convention which drew up the blueprint for devolution ahead of the creation of the Scottish PArliament in 1999. She applied to be a Labour candidate in the first elections to the parliament, but was turned down by the party. She has served on a host of public bodies since then, including as chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and non-executive director of the Scottish Council Development and Industry.

Ms Freeman made the announcement of her appointment in a letter to the Scottish Parliament's health committee.

She said: "As a former Chair of NHS 24 and NHS Fife, and current Senior Governor of the University of Aberdeen, Esther has considerable experience and a long-standing commitment to public service and the social and economic development of Scotland.

"As Interim Chair, Ms Roberton will now play a significant role in helping to stabilise and transform the Board and turn around performance as work continues to deliver the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neuroscience.

"Arrangements to recruit a permanent Chair will now be taken forward in conjunction with the Office of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards, and I expect the process to be complete by the 30 November 2020."